Electromagnetic transducer head



Sept. 22, 1953 M. cAMRAs 2,653,189

ELECTROMAGNETIC TRANSDUCER HEAD Filed Feb. 12, 1948 2 sheets-sheet 1 Sept. 22, 1953 M. CA'MRAS 2,653,189

ELECTROMAGNETIC TRANSDUCER HEAD Filed Feb. 12, 1948 Sheets-Sheet 2 fig/a ECQROER /VAR mv GIM/Ms ffm/jf MME Patented Sept. 22, 1953 UNITED am oFFICE ELECTROMAGNETIC TRANSDUCER HEAD nois Application February 12, 1948, Serial No. 7,931

4 Claims.

My invention relates to electromagnetic transducer heads for use in magnetic recorders and like equip-ment.

In one method of recording an intelligence on a lengthy magnetizable record medium such as, for example, a parer tape havinga coating of magnetizable particles on oneface thereof, the lengthy mag-noticable medium is drawn across an .electromagnetic transducer head assembly at predetermined constant speed. The electromagnetic transducer head includes a magnetic core member defining a non-magnetic gap and having adjacent portions shaped lto receive the lengthy magnetizable medium, A coil or windino' encircles this core to cause a magneto-motive force across the gap in accord with the instantaneous Value ci current flow therein. As each incre-,- mental portion of the lengthy magnetizable record medium travels across the electromagnetic transducer head, a degree of `magnetization is imparted thereon in accord with the'magnitude in the current flow in the coil at that instant, thereby imparting variations in the degree of magnetization along thelength of the medium in accord with the time variations oi the intelligcnce recorded.

During reproduction, the foregoing process is reversed and the magnetized record medium is drawn at the recording speed over a similar electromagnetic transducer head assembly. As each incremental length of the record medium rides over the gap portion of the electromagnetic transducer head, flux is created along the core member thereof in accord with the degree of magnetization imparted to the particular incremental portion of the record medium directly over the non-magnetic in time in accord with the time variations of the intelligence, creates an induced Voltage in the Winding which may be amplified :and suitably converted to the original form of the intelligence such as, example, sound.

In order most eiiectively to utilize the lengthy magnetizable medium, it is highly desirable to have an electromagnetic transducer head assembly with a high degree of resolution. in other words, the incremental portion ofthe lengthy magnetizable record medium which is acted upon by the non-magnetic gap of the electrofmagnetic transducer head, or which is effective to determine the iiux therein, should be as short as possible, to the end that the velocity of the medium necessary accurately to record an intelligence having predetermined frequency components may be minimized.

-Creliofore efforts have been made to improve resolution by merely reducing the size of the air This varying n Y (Cl. 17a-100.2)

gap of the head Without other changes. it has not been appreciated that this expedient of; itself accomplishes the objective of improved resolution at the expense of recorded noise, microphonic noise, and distortion, Some of these objections may be overcome by use of separate pickup and record heads, each designed most eiiectively to achieve its specialized purpose. l-lowever,l this expedient complicates the magnetic recorder and increases the cost thereof and, moreover, sacriiices some resolution because the shape and. alignment of the record and playbach pole pieces can never be perfect.

in accordance with the present invention these objectives are achieved by designing the head with a Very small core.

in addition to the foregoing advantages, the small electromagnetic transducer oi the present invention is self-suppOrting and may readily and conveniently be mounted on a magnetic recorder. The small size furtheracts to minimize the hum pickup of the structure due to stray magnetic nelds and reduces the microphonic noise associe ated with mechanical disturbance oi the core material. Light weight is further advantageous if the head is intended to bear against a rotary stabilizer type unit wherein the head urges the medium against the surface of a massive rotating member.

Moreover, it has heretofore been considered necessary to use a relatively high frequency cur-l rent to achieve the magnetic erasing necessary to place the magnctizable record medium in a neutral condition preparatory to recording an intelligence thereon. This high frequency has been regarded as necessary in order that the ire-A quency ci the erasing current be very great as compared to the signal current, thereby to avoid interference between the recorded erase signal and the reproduced signal voltage. Similar considerations have dictated the use of a bias current' of very high frequency as compared with the frequency of the recorded intelligence.

Still another desirable feature of an electromagnetic transducer head assembly is that it is easy and inexpensive to manufacture, a requirement that dictates simplicity of construction and a minimum number of parts. l in accordance with the present invention an improved electromagnetic transducer head asf sembly having sharp resolution and Which may be used with relatively low frequency bias and erase currents is provided.

it is therefore a general object of Athe present invention to provide v an improved electroniavg-l netic transducer head assembly.

Still another object of the present invention is to provide an improved electromagnetic transducer head assembly having high resolution.

Another object of the present invention is to provide an improved electromagnetic transducer head operable both as a record head and a playback head.

Further, it is an object of the present invention to provide an improved electromagnetic transducer head assembly having high resolution while still being capable of recording an intelligence on a lengthy magnetizable medium with a minimum degree of noise.

Yet another object oi the present invention is to provide an improved electromagnetic transducer head assembly capable of obliterating previous recordings and other magnetizations on a lengthy magnetizaole record medium by use of a relatively low frequency current.

Still another object of the present invention is to provide a small unitary electromagnetic transducer head assembly capable of being mounted on a spring member to be urged against the portion of a magnetic record medium received on a rotary stabilizer.

My invention iurther resides in features of construction, combination and arrangement wherein an improved electromagnetic transducer head or" small size and operative with small temperature rise and high eiciency is provided.

|The novel features which I believe to be characteristic of my invention are set forth with particularity in the appended claims. My invention itself, however, both as to its organization and method of operation, together with further objects and advantages thereof, may best be understood by reference to the following description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure l is a greatly enlarged isometric View of an electromagnetic transducer head assembly constructed in accordance with the principlesof the present invention;

Figures 2 and 3 are top plan and side elevational views respectively of the magnetic core portion of the assembly shown in Figure 1;

Figures 4 and 5 are top plan and side fragmentary elevational views respectively of the core and support portions of an electromagnetic transducer head assembly :for magnetically erasing a traveling record medium and constructed in accordance with the principles of the present invention;

Figure 6 is a top plan view like Figure 4, but showing another embodiment of the present invention;

Figure 7 is a top plan View of a unitary electromagnetic transducer head assembly constructed in accordance with the principles of the present invention for imparting magnetization along two tracks of a lengthy traveling magnetizable record medium;

Figure 8 is a front elevational view of the mechanism of Figure 7;

Figure 9 is a diagrammatic view illustrating the structure of the present invention for purposes of explanation;

Figure 10 is a hysteresis loop diagram illustrating the operation of the structure of the present invention;

Figure 11 is a diagrammatic to-p plan View of a complete magnetic recorder utilizing the electromagnetic transducer head of the present invention and a rotary stabilizer;

Figure 12 is a side elevational view with parts in cross section of an alternate Qrm Q 131 ele- 4 tromagnetic transducer head of the present invention;

Figure 13 is a top plan View of still another embodiment ofthe transducer head of the present invention and showing elements to guide the record medium in the portions where it overlaps the edges of the head; and

Figure 14 is a cross-sectional view through the axis of XIV-XIV, Figure 13.

Referringv now to the isometric view of Figure 1,V there is shown an electromagnetic transducer head assembly including a magnet core portion 20 which defines a closed loop for magnetic flux, which loop has a non-magnetic gap 22. A typical iluX path in core 20 is indicated at El (Figure 3). The core 20 is formed in a somewhat circular shape, and at its portion opposite the gap 22 is imbedded in the relatively large block 2i?- of copper or like material having good thermal conductivity. As is best seen in Figure 1 the energizing winding 2S encircles the opposed leg portions of the core 22 so that current iiow through this Vwinding produces fiux in the core 253 and magneto-motive force across the nonmagnetic gap 22.

The portions of core 2i) adjacent gap 22 are adapted to receive a strip or tape of lengthy magnetizable medium as indicated in the dotted lines at 28. This magnetizable record member may, for example, comprise a strip of magnetically inert material such as, for example, paper tape, upon which is deposited a coating of magnetizable particles. Means (not shown) is provided to cause the medium 23 to travel over the core 2G and across the non-magnetic gap The winding 2E is wound on the portions oi core 2B adjacent the portions which receive medium 28. If it is desired to impart variations to the degree of magnetization of medium along its length in accord with the time variations of an intelligence, that intelligence is converted to a suitable time-varyingelectro-rnotive force as, for example, by the use of a microphone and amplifier. This time-varying electromotive force is applied to the winding 26 to cause current ilow therethrough in accord with the time variations of the intelligence, thereby setting up a time-varying magneto-motive force across the nonemagnetic gap 22. lThis magneto motive force causes fringing iiuxes about the edges of the non-magnetic gap 22 which in part pass through the magnetizable coating of the incremental portion 0f the medium 253 immediately thereover. The portion 2id of the fiux line 2l (Figure 3) constitutes part of this fringing iiux that acts upon the medium 23. This results in imparting magnetization to successive incremental portions of medium 28 in accord with the magnitude of the current flow in winding 2e as that medium travels thereover. In this fashion variations in the degree of magnetization along the length of the medium 28 are imparted in accord with the time variations of the intelligence to be recorded.

When it is desired to erase the medium 223 irrespective of previous magnetic recordings thereon or the magnetic history of that medium, the winding 25 may be excited with high irequency current ow and the medium 2B drawn thereover. In this case, each incremental portion of the medium 28, as it travels across the non-magnetic gap 22, is subjected to several cycles of alternating magneto-motive force and, as a consequence, leaves the core 20 in a substantially neutral magnetic condition.

level. `resolution is desired, as may be obtained by using A In a practical electromagnetic transducer head 'constructed -as shown 1Ain Figure l, 'the non- 'magnetic gap 22 may be of the order of .-005 inch 'of about 0.0005 inch have a ratio of average length of the flux path in the core to the length of the non-magnetic gap of approximately 700. Actual record heads constructed in accord with the foregoing having non-magnetic gaps of. about :0.001 inch have a ratio of average length of the ux -path in the core to the length of the non- Inagnetic gap of approximately 300. It has been lfound that With larger gaps, suchv as 0.002 inch,

the ratio of flux path length in the core to the 'length of the non-magnetic gapv can be increased to approximately '700 without sacrice in noise On the other hand, when extremely high gaps of 0.0005 inch or less, then a ratio of flux path le-ngth in the core to the length or" the nonmagnetic gap of approximately 1000 is procured in practical heads. Gaps as small, as 0.0002 inch have been used with a corresponding ratio of about 2500.

In all of the foregoing, good resolution is achieved with slight sacrifice in noise level, even though the gaps are in many instances veryv much smaller than any gap heretofore considered practical.

The block Zei serves to remove the heat generated in the coil and the lco-re 20 and thus prevents'overheating of the head. Moreover, this block forms 'a convenient method of supporting the head. This block is particularly useful in the case of erase operation where the heat generated within the very email head of the present invention would cause` overheating unless removed by a very effective heat conducting' and Vdissinating mechanism.

Further, lto reduce the length of the core 20 e relative to the non-magnetic gap Z2, the core may be .made of substantially circular or O- shaped Ycross-section, as seen in Figure 3. rIihis form provides maximum space for the winding 2S relative to the length of the flux paths such as, for example, iiux path 2l.

The operation of the electromagnetic transducer head assembly of the present invention may best be understood by reference to Figures 9 and. l0. In the latter figure, there is shown a hysteresis curve of the magnetic core material of which the core of the headfis made and at the magnetizations encountered during typical operation. Increased values of the abscissas (H) of this curve represent increased niagnetizing forces, Whereas increased values of the ordinates (B) represent increased flux densities within the core. During a typical alternating cycle, as the magnetizing force (H) is increased in the direction of the arrow, Figure l0, the flux density increases to a peak value Bm from which value this flux density decreases as the mavnetizing forces subseouently decrease. This isvsho'wn in curve |00, Figure 10. This vcontinues untila .maximum Vux `density value in the negative direction (-Bml is reached, at which time the vmagnetizing force increases to cause the medium to follow the other leg Iof the curve.

The example of Figure 10 corresponds to nearly saturating the core. At lower values of applied neld a similar curve will be obtained.

Curve 400 (Figure 10) applies to a magnetic circuit comprising the core material alone and indicates that after a peak value of magnetizing force there remains a residual flux density Blupon reduction of that magnetizing iorce to zero. It is this ux density, or retained magnetization, that is responsible for noise and other undesirable eiiects associated with the operation of an electromagnetic transducer head containing 1an iron core magnetic circuit.

The effect of providing the air gap in the magnetic circuit on the residual magnetization is graphically indicated by the line OA (Figure 10). 1t can be sho wn that an average core length path Le (Figure 9) and an an` gap length of Lg (Figure 9) theY value of the remnant magnetization (B'r) is determined by the intersection with the curve i0@ of the line OA drawn at an angle 0 whose tangent is equal to Moreover, if the value of 0 is small, it can further oe shown that with practical core materials the value or remnant magnetization (By) is proportional to the coercive force imparted to the 'material times the ratio of Le to Lg.

The term average core length path as used herein signifies the Weighted average length of various :dui: paths encircling core 20, taking into account the quantity of ux following each path.

In order effectively to utilize the magnetic materials onthe recording medium, it is necessary to use a recording .field of intensity varying from 50 to 200 gauss at the portion -of the medium being magnetized. However, with typical electromagnetic transducer heads constructed in accordance with the principles oi the prior art, it has been found that the actual value of Bfr varies 'from approximately 50 gauss to approximately 300 gauss withl a typical value of about gauss. Consequently, the intensity of the residual magnetization in the core portion of the head is comparable in magnitude to the actral recording field. With values so nearly alike, have discovered that a particularly unfavorable situation is created from the standpoint of noise in reproduction and even harmonic distortion.

ln contra-st to the structures of the prior art, a typ-ical head construction accordance with ythe principles of the present invention has a ratio of Le to Lg of approximately one-fth to of the rati-o heretofore used. This gives values oi' Br after saturation varying below 5 the a very goed core material and a relatively long gap to approximatey l5 gauss in the case of a poorer core material and a relatively short gap, with approximately 8v gauss ,as a typical figure.

A core material with coercive force below 0.1 .oersted and preferably below 0.03 oersted, is desirable. Y

By reducing the ratio of L@ to Lg to the point wherein the value ci Br is less than l5, it has been found that the noise introduced by reason of this residual magnetization is rendered very small as compared to the noise otherwise exist- 7 ing. Moreover, for best operation the value of Br should be below 5, and for high delity recording this value should be kept below 2.5. For piaybaclr, about twice these iigures (38, 1D and d respectively) have been found tolerable.

The foregoing values can be obtained by restricting the length of the magnetic path in iron to a value less than one inch, corresponding to a core 1/4 inch square, and preferably less than L/z, inch. Heretofore heads have een constructed without regard to small size ci the iron and generally have involved iron paths considerably in excess of these :gures In accordance with a further feature of the. present invention, the gap 22 is tilted relative to the direction of motion of the medium 28 and the record and playback electromagnetic transducer therewith. Figures 4 and 5 are a plan view and a e ational View respectively of an electron g ie transducer head for erase purposes constructed in this fashion but with the windings removed.

In accordance with the present invention, eiective elimination of the high frequency bias voltage from the erased record is achieved by tilting the gap 22 of the erase head relative to the perpendicular to the direction of movement of the medium. This results from the fact that the incremental portions of the medium 23 immediately adjacent the erase head gap 22 are spaced relative to each other along the length of the medium 2t, thus causing phase displacements in the recorded wave over the width thereof when viewed in direction transverse to the length. Consequently, when a record or pickup head aligned with the perpendicular to the direction of motion of medium 23 is used, various portions of the medium 28 produce outof-phase voltages which, by proper design, may be made to produce no net voltage in the pick-up head.

Moreover, by tilting the erase head relative to the perpendicular to the direction of movement of the medium, the random noise in the picked up sound or other intelligence has been found to be greatly reduced.

It can be shown that with an erase head having a non-magnetic gap 22 at an angle to the non-magnetic gap of the pick-up head, the oscillations recorded by the erase head will produce zero voltage in the pick-up head when the non-magnetic gaps are at an angle such that the phase difference from one side of the gap of the pick-up head to the other is a full wave length or an integral multiple thereof. Thus, for example, if 20 kilocycles erase frequency is used and the medium 28 is 1/8-inch wide and moves at a speed of 12 inches per second, eiective cancellation of the erase voltage can be achieved with the gap 22 of the erase head at an angle of approximately 0.3 relative to the orientation of the gap of the pick-up head. Thus, if the pick-up head is mounted with its non-magnetic gap directed transversely to the direction of travel of medium 28, the erase head is mounted with its non-magnetic gap rotated 03 relative thereto; thus causing a phase difference of a full wave length across the medium 28 as seen from a line drawn transverse to the direction of motion thereof. As pointed out hereafter, if the angle of tilt corresponds to several or more wavelengths, it is not critical.

In the herringbone construction of Figure 6, eifective cancellation of the erase wave is achieved when each half of the non-magnetic gap produces a phase displacement over the width of the medium of'a full wave length or an integral multiple thereof.

There is shown in Figure 13 a top plan view of an electromagnetic transducer head like that of Figure 6 but in Which the gap 22 is curved to give a result similar to that associated with tilting the gap. It will, of course, be evident that other arrangements may be used for this purpose as, for example, a combination of straight and curved gaps.

While the preceding discussion has been limited to tilting or bending the erase head gap relative to the perpendicular to the direction of movement of the mediunnit will, of course, be apparent that the critical factor is the tilt of the erase head relative to the playback head.

Figures 7 and 8 are broken-away top plan and front elevational views respectively of a complete unitary electromagnetic transducer head assembly suitable for use in a magnetic recorder of thetype wherein two channels of a lengthy magnetizable record medium are employed, one channel carrying intelligence different from that carried by the other. Such a head may, for example, be used in hinaural system. This assembly includes a housing 38 of suitable insulating material such as, for example, a phenol-formaldehyde condensation product. The housing 3U has a forward wall 38a extending down the front portion of the same and terminating in the horizontal shelf portion 32 which defines a ledge to receive and guide the lengthy magnetizable medium 28. Three electromagnetic transducer head assemblies constructed in accord with the principles of the present invention are received in the housing 3G with their pole pieces facing outwardly of the forward wall 30a and received in suitable openings therein to ride against the medium 28. One of these electro-magnetic transducer head assemblies, indicated generally at 84, is an erase head utilizing copper block 36 upon which is supported the core 38 which in turn supports the winding 40. The non-magnetic gap l2 defined by the core 38 faces outwardly of the wall 38a to receive the medium 28 as it travels thereover. As seen best in the front View of Figure 8, the core 38 defines a tilted air gap 42 extendizng across the entire active face of the medium The electromagnetic transducer head shown generally at 44 includes the copper block 46 upon which is mounted the core 48 which deiines the non-magnetic gap 58 which is positioned to engage the medium 28 as it travels along the wall 30a. Windings 52 are disposed on the opposed leg portions of the core 48.

The core 48 extends over only the upper half of the active width of the medium 28 and is thus effective to magnetize or reproduce from only that portion of the medium 28. A keeper member 54 of soft iron is mounted adjacent the core 48 and in slightly spaced relationship therewith to conne the magnetic field associated with current iiow in winding 52 to the portions of the core 48 upon which they act. Moreover, this keeper member prevents induced voltages in the winding 52 associated with magnetization in the opposite half of the medium 28 as it travels Y over the head assembly.

keeper member imv isr mounted in `augmh'eht with the core 58 and in' slightly spaced relationship therewith to conne the effects of that core, to

the lower portion of the lengthy magnetizable' medium. v

From the foregoing itv will be evident that when the medium.E 28 travels frorjrr left to right as is seen` in Figures 'l and andv the' windings at of head sa are' energized with sjuita'blehigh frequency erase currents; the magnetization on medium' za is erased-andthe entire fae of' that'l medium prepared forL recording.v Sinfiultaneously, a time varying'4 current flowing iri'accord with the intellige'n'v'ce's`'may b caused to take piaceih the windings" ofheadju" aha-head t'.u

The tilt of' the noninagnetic gap'4'2"of`liead'34 is proportioned relativet the velocity ofthe medium'Z'and 'thefreduency of theA erase cur'-- rent' ow to cause' 'aph'a'se' diiference overfe'afch half of thewidth of medihi 2a substantially equalfto' van integral numherof full ytave llengths, thus" Preventing any' pick'f-up fdf" the" erase volt-V ages by the heads 4l" and '561' angle ccrr'espondingU t Yaphase difference ofmseveral/or more wavev lengths; anyV errori` in the` til t causes' negligibleY pi'clrp4 Voltage' andjfrnoree over, the tilt is more effective toreduce'random noise. This results;frointhe'factthatfthemag y nitude of the Iiiidiiel'voltage associated with such error becomesfverylsmalll as a large nurn`` her' or" wavelengths are involved.'

The'mediurn 28 is vd`rav'vr`i across'tli-e assemloly" 30 by rotating reels' '62",iri1'fthe` wind-up' direction. Thisy can befaccomplished iby an electric motor aealse it travels thereover:l

or other'suitaole means (not shown). Preferfa"my bly a brake or other device (not sliowil1l)e is pro--4 vided'to oppose rotations ofthe reel vfrom which medium 2s" taut inthe region betwee'thesereels.

fis unwund to/maintain medium '20 frequency erase current than" would otherwise n be "possible, and' even to Vusev an erase current that is ih the auditie' range. Moreover; it wiii" hev 'apparent .to those'sl'illd inthe 'art that' if a g cording and that voltage is'ifn theaudble'ranga proper tilting of the record gap relative `to`fthe pickeup gap' suhseq'u'entlyfused jto pick intelligence may eliminate yany"audihle signal `re sulting therefrom. addition, the record gap may be tilted 'relativeto the pick-up gap to provide a degree of control over the frequency characteristics of the voltage induced inthzecpolgllp vheadv to equalizedistur'oances inthe frequency response otherwise encountered.

An erase head operating at lower frequency-` V has the advantage of permitting greater airgap fluxes and lower losses. Moreoverfit is less dif-A,

cult to saturate the magnetizable record mediurn at low frequencies.

Figure 11v shows an elect omagnetic transducer head of'the present inventionv incorporated in a complete magnetic, recorder. .As indicated,

the'recorder includesmapanel I I upon which, reels |20 and |722 Aare olisposedv. The medium Y |24 extends between these reels and is received bytheeaestah |26. Driveeieiheits (not showin are providedto maintain the' "medium |24x'taut thereel e2@ and cahstahfjgs anu 199: tweede htari'us and reel |22:"-'Ah e1eetr9rhag netidtransdicer'head |28f,lile"fthat shown in Figure 1 but without the block 24, is mounted on the resilient arm |30 to bear against the merdirecordrndium'or to reproduce intelligencethere- Vl() um lzgandrurge itagainst capstan |26. The arr'n" illnis supported lovvpost |32 and is flexed inthe positicnshqwn tn .provide pressure between mediuml 2-4,jand headj|20. 'The wires |34 from thehead |28`A lead 'to the recorder |36 and may, as shown,ghewoullf..about the'spr'ing |30 to avoid interfering with movement of that spring, c... `Preferably, the'capstan 126 includes a massive weight whph ,actsA te maintain the rotational velocity thereof constant despiteaccelerating orv de'c'elerating` Vforces. .Y Consequently, the medium |24 is moved L at aconstant velocity acr-oss the head E28 vand there is noV opportunity for this vel-ocityntcndeviatebecause ,of the direct. engagement `hetween ,the head |28 and the portion of thevmediuni |24 `bearing,against oapstan |20.

'IIh'e operationwof the capstanplZB as a rotaryy Ih jyiew of Figuree13gthemhead structure is disposed ',betweedtwo gidemembers |02 and |04 whichV receive ythe overhanging vedges ,of the medium ,as Vit travels overthe head. vTn ,accordance with lone feature.V .ofv the present invention, the surface of the core 2 0 vin like, region where it bears upon the medium is domed to vrise above the surface of .themembers |02 and |04 to `cause the medium to bear snugly against the head 2|).r This structureisyleest seen in.Figurpe 14 which is a cross-sectional v iew, throughk the, aX-is XIV',-.XI\ 7l of zFigure `13,ilcu| which, in addition,

shows themedium |00vv in cross-section. As will A be evident from this View, theY surface ,of theY core 2,@ is domed in 7the direction of the Ycrosssection'and denes` a surfaceto engage the `medi-A umwlll in such fashion as lto vvtend to maintain they mediinnI in ysnug abutting relationship relativepthereto. L.; y Y

While, .the principleslofthe present invention may lo ei'nger-ieral,- more eieotively practiced by the use of an O-shaped head, such as that shown` in Figure*Lil-,irs possible, of course,l to use a rectangularfheam Sluchna head is illustra ted rin Figurel 12and includes v,agvcoreinembrer |88 ,have

ing,arectangularlwndow |10. and 3a. slot|.|2 deninga magneticc'iruit havingan air gap.V The medilllall llV rides acrosstthev air gap defined byslot/112'. andwya'riations., in magnetization are l I6 thereby imparted ,thereto/f! The winding controls thefluxdensity in the core I i0.

Moreover, as shownl in Figure 12,` an auxiliary i nonfmagneticega-p H3 .mayfhe used; Such gap..

facilitates windingv the head, `reduces hum pick-v upfr'om stray fields, and even further reduces residual. magnetization.- f

By theterm record playback head I refer to anV electromagnetic transducer head intended to` record intelligence on av moving magnetizable from, or both, as distinguished from an erase head intended merely to restore a magnetizable medium to uniform state of magnetization.

In the foregoing speciiication and the appended claims I have used the term magnetic recorder to designate equipment operable to impart variations to the degree of magnetization of a magnetizable medium along its length in accord With the time variations of the intelligence, equipment operable to reproduce as a time variation the variations in magnetization along the length of a magnetizable medium, equipment operable to erase variations in the degree of magnetization of a medium to restore it to a magnetically neutral condition, or equipment selectively operable to do one or more of the foregoing operations.

I use the term magnetic herein to designate material having a high value of permeability as compared to unity, the permeability of air.

By the term principal dimension in the foregoing specification and accompanying claims, I refer to the largest dimension of the electromagnetic transducer head assembly. With the head of the present invention, without the block 29 (Figure l) this dimension is only a few tenths of an inch. This dimension is a measure of the mass of the head and the ability of the head eifectively to operate With the structure of Figure 11.

Portions of the invention herein disclosed and claimed are also described in Ymy copending application Serial No. 583,317, led March 17, 1945, now issued as Patent No. 2,479,308.

While I have shown particular embodiments of my invention, it will, of course, be understood that I do not Wish to be limited thereto since manyV modifications may be made without departing from the spirit and copy of my invention. I, of course, contemplate by the appended claims to cover all such modifications as fall Within the true spirit and scope of my invention.

I claim as my invention:

l. A unitary electromagnetic transducer head assembly comprising a member to receive a lengthy magnetizable record medium for travel in a predetermined direction thereover, a inagnetic head having a magnetic core deiiriing a non-magnetic gap whose transverse plane is di.,- posed at an acute angle with respect to the direction of movement oi said medium, said core being mounted to engage said medium as said medium travels over said member, and an electromagnetic transducer head having a core defining a nonmagnetic gap Whose transverse plane is disposed substantially at right angles with respect to the direction of travel of said medium and positioned to engage said medium as it travels over said member.

2. A unitary electromagnetic transducer head assembly comprising a member to receive a lengthy magnetizable record medium for travel in a predetermined direction thereover, a magnetic head having a magnetic core defining a nonmagnetic gap Whosegtransverse planeiis disposed at an acute angle with respect to the direction of movement of said medium, said core being signal to be recorded, the relative difference ir angular orientation of said gaps of said tWo heads being such that the variationin magnetization imparted by said magnetic head differs in phase by many wave lengths of said signal across said n gap of said transducer head.

mounted to engage said medium as said medium 3. A unitary electromagnetic transducer head assembly comprising a member to receive a lengthy magnetizable record medium for travel in a predetermined direction thereover, a magnetic head having a magnetic core deiining a nonmagnetic gap whose transverse plane is disposed at an acute angle With respect to the direction of movement of said medium',v said core being mounted to engage said medium as said medium travels over said member, and an electromagnetic transducer head having a core dening a nonmagnetic gap whose transverse plane is disposed substantially at right angles with respect to the direction of travel of said medium and positioned to engage .said medium as it travels over said member, the non-magnetic gap of said transducer head being substantially 0.001 inch, the average length of the iiuX path in the core of said transducer head being approximately 300 times the length of the uX path across the last-mentioned gap, and the material of the core oi said transducer head having a coercive force of less than 0.1 oersted.

r4. A unitary electromagnetic transducer head assembly comprising a member to receive a lengthy magnetizable record medium for travel in a predetermined direction thereover, a magnetic head having a magnetic core defining a non-magnetic gap Whose transverse plane is dis posed at an acute angle with respect to the direction of movement of said medium, said core being mounted to engage said medium as said medium travels over said member, and an electromagnetic transducer head having a core defining a nonmagnetic gapV Whose transverse plane is disposed substantially at right angles with respect to the direction of travel oi said medium and positioned to engage said medium as it travels over said member, the material of the core of said transducer head having a coercive force of less than' 0.1 oersted, the non-magnetic gap of said transducer head varying within the range of from substantially 0.0005 inch to 0.002 inch, and the average length'of the ux path in the core of said transducer head being no greater than 700 times the length of the flux path across the gap thereof.

MARVIN CAMRAS.

References Cited in the le of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 2,361,752 Eilenberger Oct. 31, 1944 2,413,108 Latchfcrd Dec. 24, 1946 2,413,543 Camras Apr. 8, 1947 2,429,792 Begun Oct. 28, 1947 V2,431,540 Camras Nov. 25, 1947 2,432,162 Jones Dec. 9, 1947 2,469,444 Roys May 10, 1949 2,479,398 Camras Aug. 16, 1949 `FGREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 69,273V Norway May 28, 1945 591,368Y ,Germany Jan. 19, 1934 612,489l Germany Apr. 25, 1935 677,613 Germany June 29, 1939 

